Yoga Is The Answer

I have practiced yoga for well over 20 years. I have tried various forms of yoga. That’s the wonderful thing about yoga — there are styles to fit every single body out there. Eventually, I settled into the gentler genres — Yin, Restorative, and Gentle Flow. Most of my yoga sessions are done seated or lying on my back with very few standing poses or flow sequences. The forms of yoga I embrace give me back much more than the effort it takes to practice.

I’m just getting back into my routine after spending two weeks in Arizona and another week visiting The Magical Creatures. I did do a bit of hiking, but for the most part, the pollen counts (even in the desert) kept me from being too active.

But once I got home, I resumed swimming in the mornings and yoga on most evenings. And, unsurprisingly, my body is a bit sore. However, I have found that after each session on my mat, the soreness is reduced a bit. I feel more open and less stiff. My range of motion increases gradually and I find myself able to move without groaning.

Are you sore from your exercise routine? Yoga is the answer.

As a 63 year-old-woman, the movement routine I embrace needs to help me remain stable and able to keep my balance. Falls are a large concern in the senior population.

My yoga practice includes balancing poses such as Tree Pose, Half-moon Pose, and Boat Pose. All of these asanas help build strong core muscles and improve balance. Even after 20 years, I still have days I need to use a prop or two to help me maintain a balancing pose. But I understand the props exist to aid me to do just that — maintain the pose to get the most benefit from the shape. Props are not cheating, they are tools. And when I’m having a good balance practice, I know it’s because on bad balance days, I use props to benefit from the pose rather than simply giving up because I can’t execute a posture to perfection.

Are you having issues with your balance? Yoga is the answer.

My mind likes to be busy. I’m constantly thinking and rethinking All. The. Things. In yoga and meditation — this is referred to as Monkey Mind. Before I started practicing yoga, I thought everyone was a slave to their thoughts. The constant, exhausting stream of thoughts.

When I head to my mat for a blessed hour or so of my practice, I can feel my mind letting go. She’s still thinking all those thoughts, but I can sense a slight shift. We watch the thoughts go by instead of engaging with them and heading down even more rabbit holes of thought. My mind and I sit back together and allow the shit show of my anxiety to simply roll past.

Are you anxious and constantly living in your head? Yoga is the answer.

Even now, in retirement, there are nights when sleep evades me. I have very little stress these days, but sometimes I still find myself unable to fall asleep. That’s when Yoga Nidra comes to the rescue.

On my Insight Timer app, I have bookmarked a few Yoga Nidra sessions. I choose one to listen to as I get comfortably settled in my bed. The calm voice from my phone leads me through a body scan as I search for areas of my physical body that are stressed. Eventually, the voice leads me inward to a hidden door. My subconscious gives up her secrets and together we acknowledge the need to let go. As she loosens her grip on imaginary problems, I sense the presence of blessed oblivion. I have never been awake to hear how the app session ends.

Are you having trouble falling asleep at night? Yoga is the answer.

Yoga may not be The Cure for everything that ails us. But in my experience, it’s a damn good place to start.

Namaste.